BMW DESIGN? DISAPPOINTING? YES! by John Crawford

Here are BMW's two latest photo releases, of the 2021 BMW M3 and M4.

I'm not sure what you think of them, but I think they are ghastly, ugly, poorly-proportioned, and any other terms of denigration you can dream up.

I clearly remember seeing Chris Bangle's original 'flame surfaced' designs and thinking they were pretty 'out-there', but compared to these abominations, they were just a mild re-imagining of the BMW design DNA.

I'm joined in this opinion by no less than my good friend of over 30 years, Ian Callum, who has designed some of the most beautiful cars on the roads.

I've admired Ian not only for his design sense, but also his discipline. This is a quality you must have by the shedload when you're designing production cars, and dealing with Boards of Directors who always want to inject their own opinions.

Getting it right, and at the right cost is a bloody difficult job, and Ian has proved time and again what a great overall designer he is.

So, I've just watched an excellent interview with Ian Callum, on a show called 'The Late Brake Show' hosted by self-described enthusiast and car perv, Jonny Smith.

Jonny asked Ian what designs available today he thought were crap?

Ian, although now operating his own design studio, paused, and despite his forthright Scottish upbringing said, carefully: "I think the new BMW designs are (pause), disappointing".

There, it's out there, from a designer thoroughly respected by his peers. I wonder what the BMW tragics think? 

John Crawford

Check out this excellent video blog: www.thelatebrakeshow.com